That Stage
by Tadpole24
Summary: They're at that stage. But soon they'll move past it." BB. Tag for A Night At The Bones Museum.


**Hey all, **

**I know I should be working on The Man in the Memory, but hey, Bones offers a heart stopping moment, I have to write something for it :) I'm a fanfic writer, this is what I do. As you could probably guess, this is my tag for the latest episode, A Night at the Bones Museum. :)**

**Disclaimer: I believe I said something about me being a fanfic writer...yeah, that statement still stands true. **

**Enjoy.**

..:::..

That Stage

..:::..

So...

They were at _that_ stage.

She may not know much about pop culture, but even she knew that when characters in certain television shows and movies had an 'almost kiss' before they finally got together. She had even used the plot device in her book in the rather more sensual scenes.

The two characters lean towards each other, there's a glance at the lips, a tilt of the head and then... an interruption of some sort. Friends walk in, a dog barks, a particularly strong gust of wind breaks them apart, a piano falls from a tree and lands a mere two centimetres away from them. It doesn't matter how different or how ridiculous the device is that pulls them apart, it's always an accepted part of the story line because the audience knows that somewhere down the line the two characters will be together.

But life is not a movie.

And yet, they were at _that_ stage.

She wasn't ignorant. She knew the signs and she knew which way they were pointing.

'_Booth wishes it was him you were dating.'_

Angela really was a difficult best friend to have sometimes. How was one supposed to block out the voices in her head telling her to love her partner when her best friend was constantly telling her what she_ really_ wanted to hear.

She knew there was something between herself and Booth, the thing that she didn't know was if it was different to the something that was there before he had his operation. It had been a month since he had laughed at that clown before telling her that he loved her, albeit in a professional way, but since then things had been back to normal between them. There were no awkward moments, no moments where she didn't know if she had real Booth or dream Booth next to her.

He may have been the one in the coma, but she sure as hell felt more confused than what she imagined he did.

She could see the love in his eyes. It scared her. And when she went out with Andrew, she saw the jealousy and pain. She hated herself for that. She should have known it would hurt him. But she still didn't know if she had hurt her Booth or the Booth in the dream. Was he being hurt by his partner or his wife?

It was some time during the intense look he gave her after he told her that he never told anyone the egg story that she realised it didn't matter.

It didn't matter which Booth was looking at her because they both loved her immensely. And she loved him back. All of him.

And now they were at that stage.

The stage where he could take a sneaking glance at her lips and tilt his head just a little and she could do the same.

"Come on you two, the ambassador is about to speak."

The intensity drifts away, lingering strands still left behind. The group, their workmates, their friends, they leave them to come to the main floor in their own time.

Her hand moves to his tie, holding on to the vestiges of the closeness they had just shared. His mind tells him that it is unfair that she gets to touch him and he doesn't get anything, so his hand, seemingly moving of its own volition, strokes softly across her shoulder, smoothing her hair away in the process. Skin and hair in one manoeuvre, he deems that a win.

As his hand guides her gently up the stairs, no word pass between them. There needs to be nothing but them and that's all there is. They both know it's enough.

They're at_ that_ stage.

But soon they'll move past it.

..:::..

**So how'd we all go? Tell me in a review :)**

**I know, I'm getting less and less subtle, but hey, that's the way I roll.**

**Em**

**xx**


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